Okla. House panel delays vote on drought fund

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma House panel has delayed a vote on a proposal that would create a statewide emergency drought relief fund.

The House Appropriations and Budget Committee had been scheduled Wednesday to look at a bill from Oklahoma City Republican Rep. Dale Dewitt that would set up the fund.

The bill calls for at least $10 million to be available for relevant state agencies at the discretion of the governor in the event of a drought disaster. Republican Rep. Don Armes has proposed a similar bill, and The Oklahoman reported Tuesday the bills could be combined. Neither representative was available for comment after the hearing Wednesday.

The proposal follows the worst drought in decades and several declarations of drought disasters across the Midwest, where exceptional drought persists in several states.